Storage rack reinforcement/repair unit

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for the repair, reinforcement and protection of damaged upright support members of typical commercial and industrial storage rack systems is disclosed. The invention employs a rigid vertical channel attached to an accommodating base plate to wrap around and bring into secure alignment a damaged upright storage rack support member. The invention is designed to be used to repair damaged upright storage rack support members without requiring the disassembly of the storage rack or the removal of product being stored on the rack.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to commercial and industrial storagerack systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to a newand improved method and apparatus for repairing, reinforcing andprotecting damaged upright support members of typical commercial andindustrial storage rack assemblies in use today.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Forklift and other mechanical damage to the upright support members orlegs of commercial and industrial warehouse-type storage racks is amajor problem in the United States and in other industrializedcountries. The support legs and other frame members of most commercialand industrial grade storage rack systems in use today are formed orconstructed utilizing 14 to 16-gauge sheet steel. The sheet steel usedto form these legs or frame members is usually cold rolled into a squareshape thereby forming a structural frame member having four corners. Thecorners of the structural member formed in this manner give the memberits strength. However, once a structural member is damaged and one ormore corners of the member become bent, twisted, broken or cut, thecompression strength of the member, especially members used for uprightsupport, is severely compromised. In most cases the damaged supportmember cannot be effectively repaired and the member (or quite often theentire rack assembly) must be completely replaced. While the storagerack systems in use today are indeed strong and durable, the structuralframe members, especially the legs or ground support members, are easilydamaged by the heavy equipment typically used to load and unload productfrom the shelves or decking of the storage racks. The replacement orrepair of damaged upright ground support members of these storage racksystems is, at best, a very labor intensive, and thus very costly,operation resulting in tens of thousands of dollars in material andrepair costs every year. Presently, in order to repair or replace adamaged upright support member of a typical warehouse-type storage rack,the product being stored on the rack must first be removed from the rackshelves or decking and then stored or reshelved at another location. Therack decking and the rack beams must then be removed from the storagerack assembly for access to the damaged rack support member. Once thedamaged rack support member has been repaired, or in mostinstances—replaced, the rack decking and the rack beams must bereassembled and the previously relocated product must then be retrievedand returned to the rack decking and placed in the proper order forinventory purposes.

It would be expedient; therefore, to provide a method and apparatus forefficiently repairing, reinforcing and protecting damaged uprightsupport members of typical commercial and industrial storage rackassemblies wherein said assemblies do not have to be disassembled andwherein existing product being stored on said storage racks does nothave to be removed and relocated in order to effectuate the repairoperation.

Various devices have been proposed for protecting, replacing orrepairing the frame members of warehouse-type storage racks. However,known devices, such as those disclosed in applicant's informationdisclosure statement submitted herewith, are not without disadvantages,disabilities, limitations and/or shortcomings which are addressed andovercome by the design, function and use of the present invention.

The present invention is a modification and significant improvement overprior art and incorporates unique, novel and cost effective designfeatures which distinguish the invention over the existing art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, it is a primary object of this invention toprovide a new and improved method and apparatus for the repair,reinforcement and protection of damaged upright support members oftypical storage rack systems.

According to an embodiment of the invention, a storage rackreinforcement and repair unit comprises a C-shaped, hot-cast, structuralsteel channel attached at one end to an oversized U-shaped base or floorplate. Said channel having a plurality of strategically placed, andprecisely spaced, holes along its length for engaging the pre-stampeddeck adjustment holes of typical storage rack upright support members.Said U-shaped floor plate and said C-shaped channel having dimensionsdesigned to nestably wrap around the exterior dimensions of typicalstorage rack upright support members.

An important advantage of the present invention is the provision of astorage rack reinforcement and repair unit which can be effectively usedto repair, reinforce and protect damaged upright support members oftypical warehouse-type storage rack systems without having todisassemble the storage rack or remove product(s) or other stored itemsfrom the shelves or decking of the storage rack in order to effectuatethe repair operation.

Another important advantage of the present invention is the provision ofa storage rack reinforcement and repair unit that does not require theremoval or replacement of damaged upright support members or cross bracemembers.

Another advantage of the present invention is the provision of a storagerack reinforcement and repair unit that substantially reduces the costfor repairing damaged upright support members.

A further advantage of the present invention resides in the ability toinstall and use the invention on virtually any damaged upright storagerack support member, regardless of the extent of damage to the supportmember.

Another advantage of the present invention is the provision of a storagerack reinforcement and repair unit that does not require the cutting ofthe old or damaged upright support members in order to effectivelyinstall and use the invention.

Another advantage of the present invention is the provision of a storagerack reinforcement and repair unit for repairing and reinforcing damagedupright support members that provides much greater protection fromfuture damage to said support members.

Another advantage of the present invention resides in its ability to beretrofitted to any existing upright storage rack support member.

A further advantage of the present invention resides in the ability touse the device to straighten damaged storage rack support members duringthe installation and repair operation.

A further advantage of the present invention is the provision of astorage rack reinforcement and repair unit that does not requirecutting, heating or welding to effectively install and use theinvention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the presentinvention will be apparent from the following more particulardescription of preferred embodiments as illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings in which reference characters refer to the same partsthroughout the various views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale,emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of theinvention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the inventionshown fully deployed and attached to an upright support member of atypical storage rack assembly.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a damaged upright support member of atypical storage rack assembly.

FIG. 3 is a perspective rear view of the base plate and structuralchannel of the embodiment of FIG. 1 shown in an uninstalledconfiguration.

FIG. 4 is a prospective side angle view of the embodiment of FIG. 1showing the device in a fully deployed and attached configuration.

FIG. 5 is a prospective rear view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 showingthe device in a fully deployed and attached configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, FIG. 1 shows astorage rack reinforcement and repair unit 100 designed for use inrepairing, reinforcing and protecting damaged upright support members201 of typical commercial or industrial warehouse-type storage rackassemblies 200.

The storage rack reinforcement and repair unit 100 of FIG. 1 comprises achannel member 10 having a C-shaped cross-section; said channel member10 being attached at one end to a U-shaped base plate member 20.

As best seen in FIG. 3, the U-shaped base plate member 20 comprises aflat structural steel plate 21 having a top side 22 and a bottom orfloor side 23 and having an essentially square-shaped section 24centrally removed from said plate 21 at one edge 25.

The removal of said square-shaped section 24 from said plate 21 createsthe overall U-shape of said plate member 20 and forms an internalrecessed edge 26 situated between a pair of internal parallel edges 27.Said base plate member 20 having dimensions extending substantiallybeyond the external cross-sectional dimensions of said channel member10. The base plate member 20 further comprises a plurality of mountingholes 28 spacably positioned along the perimeter of said plate 21 foruse in attaching or securing said base plate member 20 to the floor of awarehouse building or other structure.

The C-shaped channel member 10, by definition, has three sidescomprising a face panel 11 and two side panels 12 and having a top end13 and a bottom end 14. As best seen in FIGS. 1, 3 & 5, the face panel11 of said channel member 10 further comprises a plurality ofstrategically placed, and precisely spaced, attachment holes 15 alongthe length of said channel member 10. Said attachment holes 15 aredesigned for aligning with, and for engagement of, the pre-stampedadjustment holes 202 of a rack support member 201 during theinstallation of the storage rack reinforcement and repair unit 100. Asbest viewed in FIG. 3, the bottom end 14 of said channel member 10 isrigidly attached, as by welding, to the top side 22 of the steel plate21 of said U-shaped base plate member 20 along the internal recessededge 26 and along a portion of the internal parallel edges 27 of saidsteel plate 21 as shown so as to cause said channel member 10 to extendperpendicularly and vertically from said base plate member 20. Theinternal cross-sectional dimensions of the channel member 10 aredesigned to align with the dimensions of the recessed edge 26 and theparallel edges 27 of said steel plate 21 as shown. As best seen in FIGS.4 & 5, the internal cross-sectional dimensions of the channel member 10and the dimensions of the square-shaped section 24 of the U-shaped platemember 20 are designed to wrap around and nestably accommodate theexternal cross-sectional dimensions of said storage rack support member201.

In order to use the invention to repair, reinforce and protect thedamaged support member 201 of a typical storage rack assembly 200, thestorage rack reinforcement and repair unit 100 thus formed is firstbolted to the floor utilizing the mounting holes 28 of said of said baseplate member 20. The unit 100 is bolted to the floor at the preciselocation occupied by, or previously occupied by, said damaged storagerack support member 201. Once the unit 100 has been firmly bolted to thefloor, the channel member 10 of said unit 100 is then used to leveragethe damaged support member 201 into alignment with said channel member10 and thereby cause said support member 201 to nestably engage the sidepanels 12 and face panel 11 of said channel member 10. Once the damagedsupport member 201 is properly aligned with, and engaged by, the channelmember 10 and base plate member 20 of said unit 100, the support member201 is then bolted to said channel member 10 utilizing the attachmentholes 15 situated along the face panel 11 of said channel member 10.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described withreference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood bythose skilled in the art that various alterations in form, detail andconstruction may be made therein without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention.

1. A storage rack repair and reinforcement unit for repairing,reinforcing and protecting a damaged upright support member of a storagerack assembly comprises: an elongated channel member having a C-shapedcross-section defining a face panel and two side panels and having aplurality of alignment and attachment holes spaceably positioned alongthe length of the face panel of said channel member; and, a base platemember perpendicularly attached to one end of said channel member, saidbase plate member having dimensions extending substantially beyond theexternal cross-sectional dimensions of said channel member and said baseplate member having a portion of said base plate removed along one ofits sides so as to align with the internal cross-sectional dimensions ofsaid channel member; means for securing said base plate member to arigid flat surface such as a concrete or metal floor; and, means forsecuring said upright support member of said storage rack assembly tothe face panel of said channel member.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the internal cross-sectional dimensions of said channel memberare sufficient to accommodate and nestably receive the external lineardimensions of said upright support member.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein said elongated channel member comprises a length of structuralsteel.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said base plate member isU-shaped and is comprised of structural steel.
 5. The apparatus of claim1, wherein said base plate member is rigidly attached to said elongatedchannel member as by welding.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein saidbase plate member is secured to said rigid flat surface by a pluralityof bolts which engage mounting holes spacably positioned around theperimeter of said base plate member.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein said upright support member is secured to the face panel of saidchannel member by a plurality of bolts which engage said alignment andattachment holes of said face panel.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein said storage rack repair and reinforcement unit is used toleverage said damaged upright support member into proper alignment forattachment to the face panel of said channel member.
 9. A method ofrepairing, reinforcing and protecting a damaged upright support memberof a storage rack assembly comprising the steps of: securing a storagerack repair and reinforcement unit to the floor or other surfacesupporting said storage rack assembly at the location on said supportingsurface occupied by, or previously occupied by, said damaged uprightsupport member; said storage rack repair and reinforcement unitcomprising an elongated channel member vertically attached to a baseplate member, using said storage rack repair and reinforcement unit asleverage to bend or otherwise straighten said damaged upright supportmember so as to align said support member with the elongated channelmember of said repair and reinforcement unit, and, attaching saidupright support member to said elongated channel member.
 10. The methodof claim 9, wherein said channel member has a C-shaped cross-sectiondefining a face panel and two side panels and having a plurality ofalignment and attachment holes spaceably positioned along the length ofsaid face panel of said channel member.
 11. The method of claim 9,wherein said base plate member is rigidly attached to one end of saidelongated channel member and has dimensions extending substantiallybeyond the external cross-sectional dimensions of said channel memberand having a portion of said base plate member removed along one of itssides so as to align with the internal cross-sectional dimensions ofsaid channel member.
 12. The method of claim 9, wherein said elongatedchannel member comprises a length of structural steel.
 13. The method ofclaim 9, wherein said base plate member is U-shaped and is comprised ofstructural steel.
 14. The method of claim 9, wherein said base platemember and is rigidly attached to said elongated channel member as bywelding.
 15. The method of claim 9, wherein said base plate member issecured to said supporting surface by a plurality of bolts which engagemounting holes spacably positioned around the perimeter of said baseplate member.
 16. The method of claim 10, wherein said upright supportmember is attached to said elongated channel member by a plurality ofbolts which engage said alignment and attachment holes of said facepanel.